Jim- what Steve said. Blame the insurance co not BO. Same with marriage certificate! This is EXACTLY what they're hoping. Give it a year and see if it drops. Who are you with?

MrB I doubt the test costs 86 cents, you've got expensive tech labor and cost of instruments and reagents. I doubt it cost $750, but more in range of $50 or so. those machines also have to be calibrated and routinely inspected.

MrB I doubt the test costs 86 cents, you've got expensive tech labor and cost of instruments and reagents. I doubt it cost $750, but more in range of $50 or so. those machines also have to be calibrated and routinely inspected.

That's a 100,000% markup! I wish I could make that kind of margin.

But the hospitals do gouge the hell out of patients. Last year I had to go to the ER for what I thought was a bad ankle sprain. The charged me nearly $40 for an air splint that sells online for $15. And I have no doubt that if I had been on Medicare at that time, they'd have charged the program $60.

THAT's exactly why I don't trust the insurance companies - they're as bad as the Drs and medical providers. Can't tell you how many time I've been double billed. They want their $ yesterday but takes 6 weeks to show up in your account !!

Also, if you're self-employed, definitely look into the Exchanges -- I know I will be =)

Yes I am and I will be looking into those. Thanks guys, I had not heard of those.

I have broker that has always helped me find a good deal, I usually switched every 1 to 3 years. Joined a group, as the group rates changed with attrition etc he'd find another group. About 4 years or so back he said it wan't as competitive and what I had was the best he could do. Hopefully this will change things. I got in touch with him again to see if it's changed.

My family Anthem Blue Cross policy dropped about $40/mo and in June we received a "refund" check of about $200. This was due to ACA regulation in California in effect 2013.

CA is putting a lot of effort to make the Exchange work as intended for customers --- goes live January 1. We'll shop then to see if we get a better deal then, and the indictions are we may save almost 50% for a similar policy that we have now.

If you live in a state where the Republican legislature are actively delaying and/or killing ACA start up, then that sucks and they want you to hate Obama for it.

addressing Mr.B's tragic recent scare(and ensuing $260 bloodtests)Few of you know that I'd gone through a similaroperation (with the same long term failure to heal)and thus the same series of medical nitemaresever since

Click to reveal..

...so I just got more bloodtests JUST YESTERDAY(no big deal.. you get used to it after a while)HOWEVER... This BT for THIS Particular Doctor(My Primary Physician) was on Top Of the one6 vile bloodtest the week BEFORE from myRheumatologist, (The last of series 3 6-vile BT for auto-immune fukups going on)

My point being;When people ask How Can INVESTING MORE FUNDSinto the system, ever expect to CUT COSTS?

Easy......I have FIVE different Doctors, all doing one test after another to "RULE-OUT" possiblecauses/proposed treatment for my disability,YET NONE OF THEM ARE SHARING THEIR FINDINGS!

One of the items in the ACA is a WORLDWIDECOMPUTERIZED DATA-BASE wherein even if I'mstruck-down in FRANCE (ferfuksake) they canZone in on PROBABLE CAUSE/TREATMENT withinMINUTES! --- or does That Make Too Much Sense?

...because As It Stands...my records are SCATTERED thoughout North Jerseyin a Series of THICK MANILLA FOLDERS, Filledto overflowing with UNREADABLE Chicken Scratchthat's doing NO ONE (esp. ME!) Much Good.

IOW The result of a long series of EXPENSIVE Teststhat Doctors & Hospitals are unable to Share.

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